'Jeopardy' bewilders contestants with college football

“I’ll take ‘categories that reveal a tremendous lack of sports knowledge among ‘Jeopardy’ contestants’ for $600, Alex.”

Monday’s episode of the quiz show featured the category, “College Football Hall of Famers’ Schools.” It was a simple format: Alex Trebek named two former players, contestants had to give the name of their alma mater.

Ben, Jonathan and Donna got the first two questions — “George Gipp & Joe Thiesmann” and “Lynn Swann & Marcus Allen” with ease. The next three didn’t go so well.

To be honest, I come away from that video most impressed that the panel got the first two correct. This wasn’t an easy category for someone who doesn’t follow college football. Without any of Jeopardy‘s usual context clues, is it really surprising that a group couldn’t name Eddie George’s alma mater? Them getting Marcus Allen’s was surprising, in retrospect.

Normally, Jeopardy might say something like “Johnny Rodgers and Grant Wistrom loaded up on corn at this Big Ten university” to make it easier for contestants to come up with an answer. (That may have been what Donna was hoping for when she said “Georgia” for the Eddie George question.) This time, you had to have heard of Rodgers and Wistrom and come up with their alma mater. That’s not exactly easy, unless you live in Nebraska or have recently been reading a biography of Tom Osborne.

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